2015 Brisbane Lions Fixture

[Pacman82]

** UPDATE **





2015 FIXTURE

1 Saturday, April 4 Collingwood Gabba 6.20pm Seven
2 Sunday, April 12 Nth Melb Etihad 4.40pm Foxtel
3 Saturday, April 18 Richmond Gabba 7.20pm Foxtel
4 Sunday, April 26 West Coast Gabba 1.10pm Foxtel
5 Saturday, May 2 Gold Coast Metricon 4.35pm Foxtel
6 Sunday, May 10 Carlton Etihad 3.20pm Seven
7 Sunday, May 17 Port Adelaide Gabba 4.40pm Foxtel
8 Sunday, May 24 Essendon Etihad 1.10pm Foxtel
9 Sunday, May 31 St Kilda Gabba 1.10pm Foxtel
10 Sunday, June 7 GWS Giants Spotless 1.10pm Foxtel
11 Bye
12 Saturday, June 20 Wstn Bulldogs Etihad 7.20pm Seven
13 Saturday, June 27 Adelaide Crows Gabba 4.35pm Foxtel
14 Sunday, July 5 Fremantle Patersons 2.40pm Foxtel
15 Sunday, July 12 Sydney Swans Gabba 4.40pm Foxtel
16 Sunday, July 19 Melbourne MCG 1.10pm Foxtel
17 Saturday, July 25 Nth Melb Gabba 7.20pm Foxtel
18 Saturday, August 1 Geelong Kardinia 1.45pm Seven
19 Saturday, August 8 Gold Coast Gabba 4.35pm Foxtel
20 Saturday, August 15 Carlton Gabba 7.20pm Foxtel
21 Saturday, August 22 Adelaide Crows Adl.Ov 7.10pm Foxtel
22 Saturday, August 29 Hawthorn Aurora 2.10pm Foxtel
23 TBC Wstn Bulldogs Gabba TBC TBC


Overall we have plenty to look forward to with our trade period tracking along nicely and some gun players to return from injury.

As far as the fixture goes, it doesn't look like we have any consecutive 6 game breaks. The calibre of our opposition looks about right.

Not many are impressed with the amount of Sunday games, let alone the 4 possibly 5 twilight matches. Carlton & North supporters lobbied their distain for twilight matches over the past year or so, to which Hamish & the AFL fronted the media saying things like..."we're aiming at a more fan friendly fixture next season"..."we accept that fans don't want Sunday twilight games"...etc, etc. Looks like North are only playing 1 & Carlton none in 2015, so they got their way. IMO let the western states play them, they're 3 hours behind, but leave us out of it.

As far as Vic members go, the fixture's no better than last year for us, but I'll still be getting along to every Vic game and aim to get up to the Gabba at some stage.

The game against GWS at Spotless is also a trip I'll be pencilling in. I've been there before and I highly rated the experience. Cheap tickets, sit where you want, no lining up for a beer...

No matter what we reckon about the fixture, get your membership & encourage those around you to do the same. GO LIONS!!!

** Original rant in August **

The bottom 6 teams on the ladder are cemented & 4 out of the other 5 teams are Melbourne teams aka teams we'll be playing twice.



This means, we should be playing at least 7 games in Melbourne next year & anything less than 6 would be a complete farce.

With memberships stagnating, an increase in Melbourne games could only boost support down here. The Lions gain valuable experience on Etihad and the G.

Jonathan Brown has highlighted the need to give the Victorian supporters more games on more than one occasion and everyone down here couldn't agree more.

The club and supporters should make this clear to the AFL, so where do we go from here?

Let's turn continue making Melbourne a second home town for the boys!!

 

[patfullfankezz]

Agreed.

Get rid of the Tasmania game (as much as I like Aurura Stadium, the flight itself is painful), make the Hawks play us on the Gabba and make another game a Victorian game. I'd keep one game in West Australia, South Australia (so I can see my sister ^_^) and one in either Sydney, Darwin OR New Zealand.

 

[Pacman82]

I heard that the New Zealand "exhibition match" was a complete financial debacle for all parties anyway.

 

[Tairy Greene]

No doubt we'll end up playing the Saints in NZ, the Dee's in NT and the Dogs in Timbuktu.

 

[Ironmonger]

I heard that the New Zealand "exhibition match" was a complete financial debacle for all parties anyway.

Perhaps we've changed our tune with the new leadership, but apparently we were keen to make that Wellington game a regular thing.

Even if we're not anymore, there has to be a strong chance that once again we'll be fixtured for that game.

Probably also a strong chance we'll play Melbourne in Alice Springs. Not sure if the Doggies still have that deal to play a game in Darwin, but if so we'll be strong candidates for that one.

I'd love it if you were right, but recent history tells us that the AFL will happily send us on a magical mystery tour of Australia without giving it much thought.

If we do play more games in the NT hopefully the AFL will have realised by then that Brisbane is not within walking distance of Darwin, and won't schedule us to play in Adelaide the following week.

 

[John]

I heard that the New Zealand "exhibition match" was a complete financial debacle for all parties anyway.

You heard wrong. The Wellington City council paid the costs. I vaguely recall the Saints CEO saying it was very profitable for them.

 

[Pacman82]

No doubt we'll end up playing the Saints in NZ, the Dee's in NT and the Dogs in Timbuktu.

Sounds like my worst nightmare.

You heard wrong. The Wellington City council paid the costs. I vaguely recall the Saints CEO saying it was very profitable for them.

It was recently reported that the NZ Gov ended up slugging everyone with hidden taxes.


Anyhow, I reckon the members & club should rally to avoid a 'mystical tour of Oceania', suggestions on how are welcome.

Also I'd be keen to hear if there are any fixture improvements that effect our supporters up north. Surely we can package our demands in one neat little letter to Hamish.

 

[Crimso]

Didn't north just sign an agreement to play 3 games at Hobart?
For sure one of those will be us.

 

[josephs_79]

EDIT: Just read an article out today about it....

Seems it is more than a year away anyway and is along the same lines as it currently is... as you were




YAY More games in Melbourne (hopefully!!!! Sorry the cynic in me will wait until the fixture is actually released lol)

 

[Fatcat08]

I'd imagine that with Swann at the helm we may see the club a little more vocal in the media about it this offseason. Nothing over the top but it might rate a mention in a few more interviews etc. Given their rising media presence and strong campaigns on other issues faced by the lions (eg the go home factor) I would be shocked if TLR weren't on the case closer to the fixture being released.

 

[adey115]

I'd imagine that with Swann at the helm we may see the club a little more vocal in the media about it this offseason. Nothing over the top but it might rate a mention in a few more interviews etc. Given their rising media presence and strong campaigns on other issues faced by the lions (eg the go home factor) I would be shocked if TLR weren't on the case closer to the fixture being released.

More vocal in the media = Swann is an interesting interviewee who has presence in the media and especially the Melbourne media, and will thus naturally be called on more by the media to be interviewed. So the increase will be as much about who we have as CEO, as it will be about us actively seeking more media coverage.

Lets face it - who the hell wanted to interview Holmes? Nobody.

 

[Skoob]

The idea that we get so few Melbourne games, while Melbourne teams are playing Melbourne teams in Melbourne is abhorrent.
Those Vic teams playing "away" games in their home town (sometimes at their home ground), gain a further unfair advantage over other states.
Even if the merger agreement and Fitzroy fans are to be ignored, in the interest of equalisation and fairness, Tasmania, NT and NZ should be hosting games between 2 Victorian sides.

 

[Flossie32]

Heck I didn't even know who Malcolm Holmes was until a year ago - I was thinking Bob Sharpless was our CEO for quite some time since he was in the media more in Brisbane, than Bob was.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

The idea that we get so few Melbourne games, while Melbourne teams are playing Melbourne teams in Melbourne is abhorrent.
Those Vic teams playing "away" games in their home town (sometimes at their home ground), gain a further unfair advantage over other states.
Even if the merger agreement and Fitzroy fans are to be ignored, in the interest of equalisation and fairness, Tasmania, NT and NZ should be hosting games between 2 Victorian sides.

And let the clubs boasting 50k plus memberships do the hard yards promoting our game in NZ, not the strugglers like us, ST K and the Dees. See how Eddie would like that.

 

[Pacman82]

The idea that we get so few Melbourne games, while Melbourne teams are playing Melbourne teams in Melbourne is abhorrent.
Those Vic teams playing "away" games in their home town (sometimes at their home ground), gain a further unfair advantage over other states.
Even if the merger agreement and Fitzroy fans are to be ignored, in the interest of equalisation and fairness, Tasmania, NT and NZ should be hosting games between 2 Victorian sides.

Great point, I didn't even think about that!

 

[Lion for Life]

I'd imagine that with Swann at the helm we may see the club a little more vocal in the media about it this offseason. Nothing over the top but it might rate a mention in a few more interviews etc. Given their rising media presence and strong campaigns on other issues faced by the lions (eg the go home factor) I would be shocked if TLR weren't on the case closer to the fixture being released.

TLR are already trying to start a caimpaign on twitter & facebook where you msg the AFL with #6inMelb everyone should get onto it

 

[Pacman82]

#7inMelb

 

[Skoob]

And let the clubs boasting 50k plus memberships do the hard yards promoting our game in NZ, not the strugglers like us, ST K and the Dees. See how Eddie would like that.

Well exactly. Without wanting to put our club down, who in their right mind thinks that Saints v. Lions is a great display of skills & talent?
With the idea being to "take the game to the people", shouldn't they be playing top teams? Popular teams? Big clubs?

 

[John]

It was recently reported that the NZ Gov ended up slugging everyone with hidden taxes.

It was reported that the players had to pay tax on earnings in NZ.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...-as-entertainers/story-fni5f22o-1227014537679

Players paying tax is not a "a complete financial debacle for all parties" and if one reads the item it is a complicated tax issue that the AFL sorted out. Also that the Saints make 500g from the game and will be doing it next year.

Not looking to derail your points Pac but you have to get all your facts right to make a water tight case.

 

[Kevvo]

Given the relatively positive press coverage we've had in the latter half of this year, I'd like to think we may get slightly better fixturing treatment than in the recent past. Maybe Swann could make a convincing enough commercial case for the benefits (memberships, attendances, sponsorship) of re-engaging with the Fitzroy base. I doubt that alone is enough to make a radical impact on our financial situation, but it can't hurt. Especially now that we have a developing image as a young, exciting team, we're probably not the least palatable option for some games in Melbourne at good times.

I recognise that there are more important reasons that the cash, but that is surely where the AFL's interests and ours intersect.

 

[Crawb]

We haven't played GWS away yet, and we're a low drawing club, so I can see us being one of the 3 games in the ACT in 2015.

Also we don't automatically play all the other bottom 6 teams twice OP. We still have to play a team from the Top 6 and middle 6 twice too or something along those lines.

 

[Fatcat08]

Given the relatively positive press coverage we've had in the latter half of this year, I'd like to think we may get slightly better fixturing treatment than in the recent past. Maybe Swann could make a convincing enough commercial case for the benefits (memberships, attendances, sponsorship) of re-engaging with the Fitzroy base. I doubt that alone is enough to make a radical impact on our financial situation, but it can't hurt. Especially now that we have a developing image as a young, exciting team, we're probably not the least palatable option for some games in Melbourne at good times.

I recognise that there are more important reasons that the cash, but that is surely where the AFL's interests and ours intersect.

First cab off the rank in this discussion would be working out a plan for Vic memberships not to cost the club money as has been the case in the past. Hopefully the AFL can come to the party on this if it is indeed still occurring.

 

[luthor]

The bottom 6 teams on the ladder are cemented

We can still finish 12th.

We beat Geelong and Carlton and WB both lose.

Easy

 

[Mavlions1961]

What I would give to have Round 1 and the final round at the Gabba, when did this last happen??

 

[Elixuh]

What I would give to have Round 1 and the final round at the Gabba, when did this last happen??

If I were to choose, I'd prefer to have the final round than round 1 for some reason. I think they do an ok job of members round to finish the year.